Malassezia Is Associated with Crohn's Disease and Exacerbates Colitis in Mouse Models.

TitleMalassezia Is Associated with Crohn's Disease and Exacerbates Colitis in Mouse Models.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsLimon JJ, Tang J, Li D, Wolf AJ, Michelsen KS, Funari V, Gargus M, Nguyen C, Sharma P, Maymi VI, Iliev ID, Skalski JH, Brown J, Landers C, Borneman J, Braun J, Targan SR, McGovern DPB, Underhill DM
JournalCell Host Microbe
Volume25
Issue3
Pagination377-388.e6
Date Published2019 Mar 13
ISSN1934-6069
Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by alterations in the intestinal microbiota and altered immune responses to gut microbiota. Evidence is accumulating that IBD is influenced by not only commensal bacteria but also commensal fungi. We characterized fungi directly associated with the intestinal mucosa in healthy people and Crohn's disease patients and identified fungi specifically abundant in patients. One of these, the common skin resident fungus Malassezia restricta, is also linked to the presence of an IBD-associated polymorphism in the gene for CARD9, a signaling adaptor important for anti-fungal defense. M. restricta elicits innate inflammatory responses largely through CARD9 and is recognized by Crohn's disease patient anti-fungal antibodies. This yeast elicits strong inflammatory cytokine production from innate cells harboring the IBD-linked polymorphism in CARD9 and exacerbates colitis via CARD9 in mouse models of disease. Collectively, these results suggest that targeting specific commensal fungi may be a therapeutic strategy for IBD.

DOI10.1016/j.chom.2019.01.007
Alternate JournalCell Host Microbe
PubMed ID30850233
PubMed Central IDPMC6417942
Grant ListP01 DK046763 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
R01 DK093426 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR001881 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States